Antique Wooden Bar Cabinet
An antique wooden bar cabinet brings period character to hosting, spanning Georgian cellarettes to Art Deco cocktail cabinets.
Antique Wooden Bar Cabinet
An antique wooden bar cabinet serves the purpose of storing and serving beverages, encompassing forms such as wine chests, cellarettes, cocktail cabinets, and home bars. When exploring an antique wooden bar cabinet, you encounter pieces designed specifically for entertaining across multiple centuries.
The selection ranges from early Georgian mahogany cellarettes and Victorian Wellington chests to Edwardian dry bars and 1930s burr walnut cocktail cabinets. Art Deco designs and Secessionist display cabinets also appear alongside oak pulpits and metamorphic side tables adapted for drinks storage.
Mahogany and oak predominate among the timbers, supplemented by burr walnut, pollard oak, and satinwood veneers. Brass hardware, glass panels, and silver plate frequently accompany the woodwork.
Materials and construction
Cabinet makers built these pieces using solid timbers like mahogany, oak, and walnut, often applying decorative burr walnut or satinwood veneers to prominent surfaces. Brass handles, hinges, and ormolu mounts provide structural reinforcement and visual contrast.
Listings span the 18th century, Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, and 1930s periods, utilising mahogany, oak, walnut, and burr walnut.
Judging quality in construction and material
Quality rests upon the selection of timber, such as figured burr walnut or substantial mahogany, and the precision of the cabinet maker's joinery. Superior examples display careful grain matching across veneered surfaces and robust internal fittings for bottles and glassware.
Waring & Gillows
The Antique Wooden Bar Cabinet Glossary
- Cellarette
- A lockable container or cabinet designed to hold bottles of wine and spirits, often standing on legs or castors near the dining table. These date from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
- Tantalus
- A locking drink stand that holds decanters securely in a wooden frame while keeping the contents visible. The locking mechanism prevents unauthorised access to the spirits.
- Wellington chest
- A tall, narrow chest of drawers featuring a hinged locking stile on one side that secures all the drawers simultaneously. Named after the Duke of Wellington, they frequently serve as drinks or storage cabinets.
- Ormolu
- Gilded bronze mounts applied to furniture for decorative effect. It adds metallic contrast to mahogany and walnut surfaces.
- Marquetry
- The art of applying decorative veneer pieces to a structure to form intricate patterns. It appears on the surfaces of select twentieth-century cocktail cabinets.
Antique Wooden Bar Cabinet: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cellaret?
A cellaret is a dedicated container or small cabinet used for storing wine and spirits near the dining area. They were essential in period dining rooms before fitted sideboards became common.
Early versions from the Georgian period often sit low to the ground on legs, while later nineteenth-century examples take various cabinet forms.
How do I use a cocktail cabinet?
A vintage cocktail cabinet provides designated storage for bottles, glassware, and mixing accessories. Drop-down fronts frequently serve as preparation shelves for pouring drinks.
Many incorporate mirrored interiors and glass shelving to display glassware while entertaining guests in a modern living space.
How do I date an antique bar cabinet?
Dating relies on stylistic clues, construction methods, and timber choices. Georgian and Regency pieces favour solid mahogany with brass fittings, while Art Deco and 1930s examples often showcase burr walnut veneers.
Hardware types, drawer dovetails, and lock mechanisms also help narrow down the period of manufacture.
What is a tantalus bar?
A tantalus is a locking frame that holds several crystal decanters in place. It allows guests to see the spirits while preventing unauthorized pouring.
These are typically mounted in wooden bases made from oak or mahogany, occasionally incorporating games compendiums or dry bar compartments.